This new and distinct cultivar of African violet, botanically known as Saintpaulia ionantha and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Marla. Marla was obtained by cross-pollenating the seed parent "Melodie" Rhonda and the pollen parent "Melodie" Farrah.times."Sylvan Blue". The seed pods of the pollenated plants were used as the generic basis for initiating further propagation trials. Seeds of the stated cross were planted in the hopes of obtaining offspring plants which retained one or more of the most desireable characteristics of each of the plants in the indicated lineage. From an initial twelve seedling selections which were retained for evaluation and testing to determine the characteristics and attributes of each selected individual from the noted cross, one outstanding individual occured, which is the selected plant of this specification.
The plant of this disclosure was selected based on a number of outstanding characteristics which were not seen as combine characteristics in previous plants of this market class. Among these are an uncommonly low, attractive rosette growth habit with large, attractive leaves of uniform, flat shaped and slight crenate margins rendering specimens of low but strong appearance and of excellent exhibition form. The plant, subsequently denominated `Marla`, further displays prolific production of large, weighty pink blossoms which have five primary petals which are ruffled at the outer portions, and which have an ununiform number of secondary petals or petaloids which effect an unusually expansive color splash of semi-double flowers appearing just above the foliage.
I have asexually reproduced `Marla` by taking leaf cuttings to start plants in the manner traditional in multiplying Saintpaulia ionantha specimens resulting from such asexual reproduction have been observed to be identical to the parent in all distinguishing characteristics to establish that `Marla` is a genetically stable plant.